The present technique relates generally to systems having one or more gears, such as a worm shaft and associated gear. The present technique provides a modular worm shaft assembly having a worm thread section and an attachable modular extension, which may be selected from a plurality of attachable extensions.
In conventional systems, the worm shaft is a one-piece or integral structure having a desired gearing ratio and end structure. This one-piece design results in a relatively high number of different worm shafts, because different systems generally require different end structures and gearing ratios. Accordingly, a need exists for a more standardized worm shaft to reduce manufacturing costs, to reduce costly inventories, and to provide more flexibility between the different systems using worm shaft and gear assemblies.